The following information has been provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a contribution to this project. It is authorised information provided to the WHO by the relevant government. The project would welcome additional material in the usual FLIP2000 format.
The principal responsibility for food safety and control lies with the Division of Environmental Health within the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPH and SS). A 1956 law established the DPH and SS with the authority to promulgate necessary regulations to assure a safe, wholesome and honestly presented food supply.
The Division of Environmental Health, staffed with environmental health specialists and technicians, is responsible for providing training for people employed in food-related occupations, as well as for training its own enforcement personnel. The division's food hygiene programme concentrates mainly on regulations relating to eating and drinking establishments and retail food establishments. Periodically, inspectors from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) will provide technical advice in such areas as milk processing.
In addition, the Guam Department of Agriculture regulates importation of agricultural commodities. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a full-time representative assigned to Guam to inspect meat and poultry imports, meat wholesalers/distributors and meat product manufacturers.
Guam has limited the importation of shellfish to those countries which are participants in the United States National Shellfish Sanitation Programme. There is no food contamination monitoring programme within the DPH and SS because of the lack of personnel and facilities to conduct analytical services. If required, samples may be sent to the USFDA for analysis. Facilities for microbiological analysis are, however, available at the Guam Public Health Laboratory.
The food safety inspection and enforcement programmes including training of food handlers, is implemented by 14 environmental health specialists and technicians of the Division of Environmental Health. The former are degree holders, while the latter have a high school diploma.
Legislation relating to food safety control is contained in two main laws. namely the Government Code of Guam Public Law (1956) and the Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. In the former, the provisions relating to food hygiene are covered by Sub Chapters A, B, C, D and E of Chapter VI (Environmental Health Act). The Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was added as a new Sub-Chapter W to Chapter VI . This act is modelled after the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and provides the authority to regulate local manufacturing and distribution of food, drugs and cosmetics and also the importation of these Items. Annex.1 indicates the food safety elements covered by the food safety legislation.
Among others things, the Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the manufacture, sale or delivery, and holding or offering for sale any food that is adulterated or misbranded. Irradiation of food is permitted In the Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, pursuant to Section9705.12 of the Act or Section 409 of the Federal Act.
The Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires that all labels of consumer commodities conform to the requirements in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labelling Act, and labels bearing a representation as to the number of servings should bear a statement of the net quantity of each serving. Food In package form must be labelled with the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor and an accurate statement of the net quantity of the contents. All locally produced and/or processed foods are required to have an expiry date after which the processed foods are required to have an expiry date after which the product should not be sold. Imported foods must also meet all local requirements. False advertisement of food is also prohibited under the Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Before a food establishment is allowed to operate, a permit must be issued by the Director of DPH and SS. Inspections of food premises are conducted regularly and demerit points are assigned for all requirements violated. When the demerit total exceeds 40, the permit is immediately suspended and the establishment is closed. Food safety regulations pertaining to food service establishments, food retail establishments and vending machines are currently being formulated.
Under Public Law (1956), food handlers, depending on their occupations and the type of food, are required to have health certificates Issued by the DPH and SS. The requirements for health certificates vary but may include a physical examination, a written and oral examination, d completion of required training courses. Operators of food establishments must not permit any person having a communicable disease to work, lodge or remain in the food establishment.
Any person violating any of the provisions given in the Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act may be liable to a conviction of imprisonment for not more than one year or to a fine of not more than US$1 000, or both.
Physicians and medical institutions are required to report all known cases of food poisoning to the DPH and SS. The Territorial Epidemiologist for the DPH and SS has general responsibility for the investigation of epidemics, including foodbome disease outbreaks occurring in Guam. All morbidity reports are channelled through his office. National food poisoning statistics are compiled yearly.